This invention relates, generally, to methods and systems for providing sound transmission systems, for example, for transmitting music, and for providing illumination systems for tubs, spas, pools, baths, or showers and, more particularly, to head rest assemblies for spas having integral audio components and lighting for improved user enjoyment.
Hot tubs typically provide a means for bathers to relax in a controlled environment of warmth and gentle water massage provided by numerous fluid flow ports or nozzles. Hot tubs, or spas, provide relaxation and if desired, therapy, for example, hydrotherapy, for treatment of various ailments. As is known, the bather typically reclines in the hot tub and pulsating jets of water impact various locations on the bather""s body. Typically, relaxation is enhanced in such tubs or spas by providing head rests so that the bather can fully recline during relaxation or treatment. Furthermore, relaxation and treatment can be further enhanced by the use of other amenities which provide an environment more conducive to relaxation or treatment. For example, it is known to provide spas or tubs with video monitors, audio speakers, and mood-enhancing lighting to enhance relaxation and treatment.
However, when such electronic devices are used, it is undesirable to locate such electronic devices in the vicinity of the water in the tub or spa for the obvious potential for damage to the electronic devices from exposure to the water (and the corrosive chemicals the water can contain) or to the humid environment typically present about a tub. Typically, when electronic devices are introduced to spas or tubs the installation of these devices is undertaken with great care to minimize the exposure of the electric wiring and components to direct contact with water or to exposure to the humid air. For example, in some prior art applications, the audio components are mounted in an elevated position, as far above the surface of the water as possible, while still providing sound audible to the bather. In addition, the elevated position of such speakers places the speaker at the approximate elevation of the ear of the bather. Such a typical prior art spa having speakers mounted in housing extensions located above the main spa housing is shown in an undated brochure distributed by Catalina Spas of Perris, Calif. Similar undesirable housing extensions for mounting speakers are also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,882 and in published Japanese patent 5,103,731 A. However, as will made clear from the description of the present invention below, such elevated installation of speakers on housing extensions or housing projections negatively impact the manufacturing process and the shipping requirements of the spa.
Though elevated above the water level, audio speakers, for example, are still susceptible to water damage, for example, from children splashing or humidity. Typically, to minimize the potential for damaging speakers mounted in a hot tub, more moisture-tolerant speakers are used, for example, xe2x80x9cmarinexe2x80x9d-type speakers. However, such water-tolerant speakers are more costly than conventional speakers.
The use of elevated speakers h as several undesirable impacts upon the manufacturing process. First, by mounting speakers in an elevated position, for example, above the nominal height of the spa housing, special accommodation must be made to provide an elevated xe2x80x9cextensionxe2x80x9dto the housing to mount the speaker. These extensions for speaker mounting are, of course, located at an elevation that is typically beyond the height of the spa housing required to accommodate the water level and the bather. Thus, these extensions for speaker mounting require that the spa housing be modified from that which is typically required in conventional spas. For example, conventional spa housings are typically, one-piece, plastic constructions, molded, for example, from a thermoplastic. In the prior art, in order to provide the extensions for speaker mounting, either the molds must be modified to include the speaker mounting extensions or the pre-molded housings must be modified to provide the required speaker mounting extensions. Either modification adds to the fabrication cost of the spa and is thus undesirable. Thus, a need exists in the art for providing audio components to spas without requiring undesirable housing modifications.
In addition, the prior art practice of mounting audio speakers on housing extensions is not amenable to incorporating speakers into existing spa housings. For example, existing spa housings without speakers typically do not have mounting structures and cannot accommodate such speakers, that is, not without a costly modification to the existing housing. Thus, a need also exists in the art for providing audio components to a spa which can be installed in existing spas, that is, can be retro-fit, with little or no modification to the existing spa housing.
Furthermore, when electronics or other components are incorporated into a spa housing at an elevated position, the resulting increased height of the tub impacts the shipping requirements of the spa. Hot tubs or spas are typically shipped stacked one on top of the other. Thus, any increase in height of the spa increases the volume that the spa occupies during shipping, that is, an increase in housing height limits the number of spas that can be shipped in a given cargo space. Thus, a need also exists in the art to provide audio components to spa housings that do not negatively affect the shipping requirements of the spas. These and other limitations of the prior art are addressed by the present invention.
As noted above, the bathing or treatment experience is also typically enhanced by means of lighting. For example, it is known in the art to include decorative lighting, for example, about the perimeter of the spa. Again, due to the potential for the water and humidity to damage electric wiring, lightning is typically provided by means that are water and humidity tolerant, for example, by means of fiber-optic cables. These fiber-optic cables are typically illuminated by a remote LED source. Typically, the individual fiber optic cables are routed to individual light emitters distributed about the spa. However, the routing of individual cables to distributed emitters not only is tedious to install, but the numerous fiber-optic cables are also susceptible to damage and failure during installation and maintenance. This type of fiber-optic lighting is also illustrated in the Catalina Spas brochure referred to above. Thus, a need also exists in the art for providing a means for introducing environment-enhancing lighting to a spa that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art lighting. This need is also addressed by the present invention.
According to the present invention, shortcomings of the existing art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of improved systems for providing sound and illumination for a spa while overcoming the limitations of the prior art described above. More specifically, the present invention provides for a head rest for a spa having an integral means of providing sound, even stereo sound, to a bather reclined in a spa. In addition to or in conjunction with this invention, according to the present invention, a head rest is provided having enhanced means of illumination without the limitations of the prior art.
One aspect of the invention is a spa, comprising: a housing having a tub section for holding water; a cushioned head rest mounted to said housing, the cushioned head rest having an upper extremity defining a surface at a first elevation and the cushioned head rest adapted to support the head of an occupant of the spa; at least one speaker mounted at an elevation at or below the first elevation; and means for providing sound to the at least one speaker. The at least one speaker may be mounted in head rest or in the housing, for example, the one or more speakers may be mounted in the housing adjacent the head rest. The speaker may be an electronic speaker or a perforation in the head rest or housing to which sound is provided by means of a sound wave guide.
Another aspect of the invention is a spa having a sound transmission system, said spa adapted for ease of fabrication, transport, and storage, comprising: a housing having a tub section for holding water; a cushioned head rest mounted to said housing, the cushioned head rest having an upper extremity defining a surface at a first elevation and the head rest adapted to support the head of the occupant of the spa; at least one speaker mounted at an elevation below the first elevation; and means for providing sound to the at least one speaker.
A third aspect of the invention is a sound transmission system for a spa having a housing, the system comprising: a source of sound waves; at least one sound wave guide operatively connected to the source of sound waves for transmitting the sound waves to a location on the spa whereby the sound waves are audible to an occupant of the spa. The sound transmission system may further comprise a sound wave distributor having at least one inlet for sound waves operatively connected to the source of sound waves and at least one outlet operatively connected to the at least one sound wave guide. The sound transmission system may also include at least one head rest and wherein the wave guide is operatively connected to at least one perforation located in the head rest. Though the wave guides of this aspect of the invention may take various forms, one or more conduits may typically be provided to function as sound wave guides.
In another aspect of the invention a head rest assembly for a spa is provided. This head rest assembly comprises: a head rest adapted for supporting the head of a bather; at least one perforation in the head rest for transmitting sound; and at least one sound wave guide for transmitting sound from a remote sound source to the at least one perforation whereby the sound is audible to the bather. The head rest assembly typically includes a plurality of perforations for transmitting sound. These perforations are typically at least two sets of perforations positioned adjacent to the ears of the bather. Again, the at least one sound wave guide may be at least one conduit for transmitting sound; typically a plurality of conduits is used. The head rest assembly may also include at least one light-transferring insert and the light-transferring insert may be illuminated by a source of light in or adjacent to the head rest. The head rest assembly in this aspect of the invention may also include at least one fluid flow device having at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet.
Another aspect of the invention is a spa having a head rest assembly comprising: a head rest adapted for supporting the head of a bather; at least one perforation in the head rest for transmitting sound; at least one wave guide for transmitting sound from a remote sound source to the at least one perforation wherein the sound is audible to the bather. The at least one wave guide may be at least one conduit, typically a plurality of conduits. The at least one perforation in the head rest may be a plurality of perforations. The remote sound source may be at least one audio speaker. The head rest may further include at least one light-transferring insert and at least one light source for illuminating the light-transferring insert.
A further aspect of the invention is a method of providing sound to an occupant of a tub, spa, or shower, or other enclosure, the enclosure having a housing and at least one perforation in the housing. The method comprises: providing a source of sound waves; and transmitting the sound waves through one or more sound wave guides to the at least one perforation in the housing so that the sound waves are audible to the occupant of the tub, spa, shower, or other enclosure. The source of sound may include a sound wave distributor, wherein this aspect of the invention may further comprise distributing the sound waves to the one or more sound wave guides by means of the sound wave distributor. Again, the sound wave guides may typically be one or more conduits, or a plurality of conduits.
A further aspect of the present invention is a head rest assembly for a tub, spa, or shower, said head rest assembly comprising: a head rest adapted for supporting the head of a bather; at least one light-transferring insert in the head rest; and means for illuminating the light-transferring insert. The means for illuminating the insert may be one of: an incandescent means, flourescent means, fiber-optics means, and light-emitting-diode means. The at least one light-transferring insert may also be a plurality of light-transferring inserts and the light-transferring insert may be composed of a silicon-based material.
Thus, the present invention advantageously provides methods and apparatus for providing sound and illumination to spas, hot tubs, showers, tubs, baths, pools, or any other type of enclosure occupied by a bather while avoiding the limitations of the prior art. In particular, the present invention provides sound and illumination systems to spas while minimizing the impact of these systems on the manufacturing, shipping, and maintenance of the spa, while enhancing the bathing experience of the user of the spa.